Preface, Acknowledgments, 1. Introduction, 2. Psychotherapy's Face to the World: The Summary Assessments of its Effectiveness, 3. Recent Tests of the Effectiveness of Individual and Group Psychotherapy, 4. Recent Tests of the Effectiveness of Family Therapy, 5. The Failure of Psychotherapy as Science, 6. Conclusion: Why Does Psychotherapy Persist?, References, Index
William Epstein
-[T]his book presents a considerable challenge to supporters of
psychotherapy.- --Jeremy Holmes, Journal of Medical Ethics -This
work should be read by three audiences at least: the sprawling
popu-lation of therapists who try to minister to innumerable human
and behav-ioral ills with miscellaneous credentials; insurance
companies and public policy makers who pay for counseling and
psychological treatment because they believe individuals are
primarily to blame for (or can overcome) such troubles in society
as unemployment, deviance, family disorganization, single and
teenage parenthood, drug and alcohol addiction, learning
disability, mental illness; and the reading public can learn how
much therapy depends on faith and hope, not on proven science. If
these audiences do read this comprehensive work they will be
outraged at first, and then very thoughtful. Why? This is the most
thorough and exhaustive review in decades of scores of studies
about the effectiveness of various psychotherapies--the real life
outcomes assessed as objectively as present science permits, rather
than through the subjective views of practitioners. The results:
(1) fragmentary and ambiguous evidence of minor positive gains in
some cases; (2) little or no credible objective evidence of change
or improvement in behavior or func-tioning.- --Robert Morris,
Emeritus Professor, Brandeis University, Cardinal Medeiros
Lecturer, University of Massachusetts -Debunkers do not make
themselves popular among those who believe in the myths being
unmasked. William M. Epstein will surely find himself un-welcome in
the swollen community of psychotherapists. But the rest of us--
citizens and policy makers alike--are very much in his debt. He has
scruti-nized the scientific claims of a vast array of
psychotherapeutic practitioners and found that these claims do not
meet the minimum standards of scien-tific proof. More than that, he
gives us good reason to suspect that many therapies may not only be
ineffective but harmful. . . . His is a voice that demands to be
heard.- --Andrew J. Polsky, Associate Professor of Political
Science, Hunter College -Observers of the excessive American
tendency to push for client personal reform where a problem
requires money, services, or other resources will be delighted with
this effort to set the record straight. Scientists and others who
ask for evidence of treatment outcomes will be pleased with this
refusal to substitute faith and conviction for experimental rigor.
There remains room for debate: Are Epstein's criteria too tough? Is
the evidence objectively read? Would better research controls make
a difference? Is there any place to be claimed for psychotherapy?
Professor Epstein is to be applauded for helping to set the terms
of that debate and challenging the field to ask why so many
unproven claims persist.- --Alfred J. Kahn, Professor Emeritus and
Co-Di-rector, The Columbia University School of Social Work
-Although Epstein's contention that psychotherapy is on balance
harmful remains speculative, The Illusion of Psychotherapy
establishes a salutary new benchmark of rigor for the design and
evaluation of outcome studies.- -- Frederick Crews, Professor of
English, University of California, Berkeley
"[T]his book presents a considerable challenge to supporters of
psychotherapy." --Jeremy Holmes, Journal of Medical Ethics "This
work should be read by three audiences at least: the sprawling
popu-lation of therapists who try to minister to innumerable human
and behav-ioral ills with miscellaneous credentials; insurance
companies and public policy makers who pay for counseling and
psychological treatment because they believe individuals are
primarily to blame for (or can overcome) such troubles in society
as unemployment, deviance, family disorganization, single and
teenage parenthood, drug and alcohol addiction, learning
disability, mental illness; and the reading public can learn how
much therapy depends on faith and hope, not on proven science. If
these audiences do read this comprehensive work they will be
outraged at first, and then very thoughtful. Why? This is the most
thorough and exhaustive review in decades of scores of studies
about the effectiveness of various psychotherapies--the real life
outcomes assessed as objectively as present science permits, rather
than through the subjective views of practitioners. The results:
(1) fragmentary and ambiguous evidence of minor positive gains in
some cases; (2) little or no credible objective evidence of change
or improvement in behavior or func-tioning." --Robert Morris,
Emeritus Professor, Brandeis University, Cardinal Medeiros
Lecturer, University of Massachusetts "Debunkers do not make
themselves popular among those who believe in the myths being
unmasked. William M. Epstein will surely find himself un-welcome in
the swollen community of psychotherapists. But the rest of us--
citizens and policy makers alike--are very much in his debt. He has
scruti-nized the scientific claims of a vast array of
psychotherapeutic practitioners and found that these claims do not
meet the minimum standards of scien-tific proof. More than that, he
gives us good reason to suspect that many therapies may not only be
ineffective but harmful. . . . His is a voice that demands to be
heard." --Andrew J. Polsky, Associate Professor of Political
Science, Hunter College "Observers of the excessive American
tendency to push for client personal reform where a problem
requires money, services, or other resources will be delighted with
this effort to set the record straight. Scientists and others who
ask for evidence of treatment outcomes will be pleased with this
refusal to substitute faith and conviction for experimental rigor.
There remains room for debate: Are Epstein's criteria too tough? Is
the evidence objectively read? Would better research controls make
a difference? Is there any place to be claimed for psychotherapy?
Professor Epstein is to be applauded for helping to set the terms
of that debate and challenging the field to ask why so many
unproven claims persist." --Alfred J. Kahn, Professor Emeritus and
Co-Di-rector, The Columbia University School of Social Work
"Although Epstein's contention that psychotherapy is on balance
harmful remains speculative, The Illusion of Psychotherapy
establishes a salutary new benchmark of rigor for the design and
evaluation of outcome studies." -- Frederick Crews, Professor of
English, University of California, Berkeley
"[T]his book presents a considerable challenge to supporters of
psychotherapy." --Jeremy Holmes, Journal of Medical Ethics "This
work should be read by three audiences at least: the sprawling
popu-lation of therapists who try to minister to innumerable human
and behav-ioral ills with miscellaneous credentials; insurance
companies and public policy makers who pay for counseling and
psychological treatment because they believe individuals are
primarily to blame for (or can overcome) such troubles in society
as unemployment, deviance, family disorganization, single and
teenage parenthood, drug and alcohol addiction, learning
disability, mental illness; and the reading public can learn how
much therapy depends on faith and hope, not on proven science. If
these audiences do read this comprehensive work they will be
outraged at first, and then very thoughtful. Why? This is the most
thorough and exhaustive review in decades of scores of studies
about the effectiveness of various psychotherapies--the real life
outcomes assessed as objectively as present science permits, rather
than through the subjective views of practitioners. The results:
(1) fragmentary and ambiguous evidence of minor positive gains in
some cases; (2) little or no credible objective evidence of change
or improvement in behavior or func-tioning." --Robert Morris,
Emeritus Professor, Brandeis University, Cardinal Medeiros
Lecturer, University of Massachusetts "Debunkers do not make
themselves popular among those who believe in the myths being
unmasked. William M. Epstein will surely find himself un-welcome in
the swollen community of psychotherapists. But the rest of us--
citizens and policy makers alike--are very much in his debt. He has
scruti-nized the scientific claims of a vast array of
psychotherapeutic practitioners and found that these claims do not
meet the minimum standards of scien-tific proof. More than that, he
gives us good reason to suspect that many therapies may not only be
ineffective but harmful. . . . His is a voice that demands to be
heard." --Andrew J. Polsky, Associate Professor of Political
Science, Hunter College "Observers of the excessive American
tendency to push for client personal reform where a problem
requires money, services, or other resources will be delighted with
this effort to set the record straight. Scientists and others who
ask for evidence of treatment outcomes will be pleased with this
refusal to substitute faith and conviction for experimental rigor.
There remains room for debate: Are Epstein's criteria too tough? Is
the evidence objectively read? Would better research controls make
a difference? Is there any place to be claimed for psychotherapy?
Professor Epstein is to be applauded for helping to set the terms
of that debate and challenging the field to ask why so many
unproven claims persist." --Alfred J. Kahn, Professor Emeritus and
Co-Di-rector, The Columbia University School of Social Work
"Although Epstein's contention that psychotherapy is on balance
harmful remains speculative, The Illusion of Psychotherapy
establishes a salutary new benchmark of rigor for the design and
evaluation of outcome studies." -- Frederick Crews, Professor of
English, University of California, Berkeley
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